(This review is by homeschool teen, Coan Payne, who, in addition to writing book reviews, also writes wonderful poetry. Be inspired: check out his blog.)

I Kissed Dating Goodbye is written mainly to teens and young adults who are unmarried, not just specifically Christians. Joshua Harris points out why dating is a bad idea. He discourages dating but doesn't tell you you absolutely can't date.

As a 16 year old who has not dated at all, this book has given me several reasons why I do not want to date. Focusing on a relationship, and being involved in a relationship at a young age, can change your priorities. Your focus can easily be taken off God and put solely on the person you are involved with. It can cause rifts between family and friends that can affect your relationships long term. He also points out that if you do decide to date then it is important not to be intimate because "the joy of intimacy is the reward of commitment". By this he means intimacy is meant for married couples only, and quotes Scripture relating to this.

In our culture today it is quite difficult to stay sexually pure in a relationship. There is a lot of peer pressure to have intimate relations with just about anyone you date now. Joshua says that our society's mentality is basically to have fun while you still can. Purity and commitment don't matter is what we often hear from our peers and on television, movies, and in books. The danger involved in that is that we end up severely hurting someone. It explained to me that girls put way more emotionally into an intimate relationship than I would, and she can be extremely hurt when the relationship ends. As a Christian young man, I feel like I need to wait until God shows me that I am able and ready to make a long term commitment.

Joshua Harris shares some of his past defective dating experiences. While doing so, he subtly brings out the Gospel. By the end of the book he has explained why dating is a bad idea and why staying pure is so important to God and your spiritual walk.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is single and currently dating.

I received this book from Waterbrook Multnomah for free in exchange for my honest review.